Remote-control pedal operating device



Aug. 25, 1953 T. P. BRAZELL 2,649,814

v REMOTE-CONTROL PEDAL OPERATING DEVICE Filed June 16, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.

Thamqs P. Brake/l I INVENTOR.

Aug. 25, 1953 BRAZELL 2,649,814

REMOTE-CONTROL PEDAL OPERATING DEVICE Filed June 16, 1950 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Thomas P. Brazel/ IN VEN TOR.

Patented Aug. 25 1953 OFFICE REMOTE-CONTROL PEDAL OPERATING DEVICE Thomas P. Brazell, St. Louis, Mo.

Application June 16, 1950, Serial No. 168,403

3 Claims. (01. 74-481) This invention comprises novel and useful improvements in a device for bleeding hydraulic brakes and more specifically pertains to an appliance specifically adapted for assisting a single person in bleeding air from hydraulic brakes and generally manipulating a brake or other pedal of a vehicle by remote contrOl and to any extent desired at the convenience of the mechanic.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an appliance to enable a person in a remote position to actuate or depress a brake or other pedal of a motor vehicle and maintain the pedal in adjustably actuated position.

A further object of the invention is to provide an appliance as set forth in the foregoing object which is specifically adapted to and may be readily applied to or removed from an automotive vehicle and specifically may be mounted upon the steering column of the same.

Yet another object ofthe invention is to provide an appliance consisting of an operating and an operated member operatively connected with each other by a connecting means together with an improved manner for associating the operated member with a pedal of a motor vehicle.

These, together with various ancillary features and objects of the invention, which will later become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by the present invention, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated, by way of example only, in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing an automobile mounted upon an automobile lift for elevating the same whereby a mechanic may obtain access to the hydraulic brakes of the vehicle for adjusting the same, the appliance forming the subject matter of this invention being shown in proper position to enable the mechanic to depress the pedal from a position remote thereto;

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail View taken in vertical section through the device as applied in Figure 1 and showing the manner in which the device is mounted upon the steering column of the vehicle and is operatively engaged with the brake pedal for operating the hydraulic brake mechanism of the vehicle;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the arrangement as shown in Figure 2 ,Figure' is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 4-l of Figure 2 and illustrating certain structural details of the actuated member and its mounting upon the supporting means of the appliance;

Figure 5 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 55 of Figure 2 and showing the manner in which the device is releasably mounted upon the steering column of a motor vehicle;

Figure 6 is a detail view showing in vertical longitudinal section 'a portion of the operating construction of the operating member of the invention;

Figure 7 is a top plan. view of the element shown in Figure 6; and,

Figure 8 is a front elevational view of a modifled, form of the device as installed upon the steering column of a motor vehicle.

Referring now more specifically to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals desi nate similar parts throughout the various views, it will be seen that the improved appliance forming the subject of this invention has been applied to an automotive vehicle indicated gener ally at It which includes the customary wheels floorboard l6, and the customary control pedals of the vehicle such as a hydraulic brake pedal l8 being likewise disclosed as extending through this floorboard and having a pedal portion 2|] thereon. In motor vehicles, the pedals of the same which include the customary clutch pedal or brake pedal, are ordinarily spring urged and pivoted into a normal rest position, and are pressed downwardly against the floorboard causing a pivotal movement of the pedals when the same and the mechanism associated therewith are operated. It frequently becomes desirable and necessary that these pedals be repeated depressed throughout either all or a predetermined portion of their travel in order to enable a mechanic to properly service, repair or adjust the elements of the motor vehicle associated there with. Heretofore it has been necessary to utilize the services of two persons, one person directly working upon the element to be serviced while the other manipulates the appropriate pedal.

The present invention comprises an appliance of 'a simple, inexpensive, lightweight construction which may be readily applied to and clamped upon the steering column of a motor vehicle in proper position to actuate the desired pedal under. the control of the mechanic himself at a remote position; and throughout any desired amount of the travel of the said pedal; and for locking the pedal in various adjusted positions of operation.

The appliance itself consists of an operating member indicated generally by the numeral 22 and which may be placed at any desired location, at the convenience of the mechanic. In addition, the appliance includes an operated member indicated generally by the numeral 24, a mounting member indicated generally by the numeral 26 and a connecting member indicated generally by the-numeral 28 whichsis operatively associated with the operating anctoperate'd members.

Considering first the mounting or support.

member 26, it will be seen that the same includes a vertically disposed standard whiclrmaycon sist of either an angle iron member 28, as disclosed in Figures 1-5, or a rod or tubular, shaft 30 as shown in the slightly modified form of Figure 8. standard 28 or 30 is provided with a clamp: by means of which the standard is fixedly but releasably secured to a steering column Hi and mounted in depending relation therefrom. This clampgin the arrangement shown in Figure consists of a fixed supporting bracketi32 having an adjusting screw. 3:3 provided with a handle 36' associated' therewith, this adjusting screw at its extremity being'swivelly connected'to' a V-shaped vise jaw as; A complementary fixed V-shaped vise jaw/"42 is welded or otherwise rigidly secured to thesupport 28 and cooperates with thernovable jaw lit for clampingly engaging the steering column id therebetween.

In the modified form of Figure 8, it will be seen'th'at there is provided a collar tti'which is slidably received upon the'rod-like standard 3%, and is adjustably'secured thereto as by a set screw 46'; this collar having a laterally extending bracket 38 which carries the adjusting screw fifiwhichmy means of a'handle 52'serves to operate the V-shaped and swivelly mounted movable jawfi i which cooperates with the v shaped fixed jaw 56 welded or otherwise fixedly-secured'to the column M. The operation of this clamp is identical with that described in connection with Figure 5-.

At their lower ends, thesupporting standards 28 and 3e haxe fixedly" secured thereto a laterally'disposed" bracket 56'- which may be identical foreither form of support means, this bracket being preferably tubular and constituting a jour= nal for a pivot axle, not shown, at one end of a lever 58 forming a part of the actuated memb'er'24. At this outer extremity, the above mentioned axle of the lever 53 has a sector plate 60 fixedly'secured' thereto, this plate having an arcuate surface'ei'which is peripherally grooved as at Edin the manner of a pulley.

A foot member 86' having a mounting stem" 68 is provided, this foot member being pivotally connected to the lever 58 and adjustable longit'udinally of the same. Any suitable adjusting means can be provided; that illustrated' consisting'oi a plurality of longitudinally spacedapertures Hi to whichthe' stem" 53 is adapted to be pivoted.

A further support bracket "HZ-is carried by the standard 28 or 30'; and is provided'with' a collar it at its outer end, which by means: of a set screw it is adapted to releasably but fixedly secure the end portion of a flexible housing 18. The housing it constitutes a part of the connecting means 28:, this connecting means conveniently being in the form of avBowden wire cable; orv similar to' aspeedometer housing and cable. Slidably receivedin'the flexible: housing 18 is a flexible cable 86-. which may constitute: a

In either event, the upper end ofthe piano wire or the like, the end of this wire extending from the housing l8 being entrained in the groove 64 of the sectorial plate 60 and being attached at its extremity as at 82 to one of the apertures 10 of the lever 58. It will now be apparent that as the cable is moved longitudinally of the housing '38, the lever 58 will be pivoted-thereby causing thezfootmember 66. to press againstitheepedall'o andioperate the lever 18.

At its other extremity, as shown in Figures 1 and 6, the flexible housing is is detachably secured as by a fastenin nut 84 to the end portion of a cylind'en86 constituting a part of the operating means 22. This operating means consists of a suitable supporting base 88 of any desired character upon which the cylinder 86 is mounted; this cylinder having a slot 98 extending longitudinally of its upper surface. Slidably received in the cylinder 86, is a plunger or slide 92 having rack teeth 96 upon its upper surface; these teeth being adapted to be exposedthrough the slot 90;

A pair of sidep'latessfi extend upwardlyfrom the'cylin'der Bt'upon opposite sidesof the slot 90", and an operating pinion is journaled between these plates by means of an axle or shaft lot" and having an operating lever 92' fixedly secured thereto;- Thepinion' is keyed or otherwise fixedly secured to theaxle we as is' the lever I92, and thepinionis continuously in mesh with the rack 8d of the slide orp1unger'92'. A ratchet or detent' EM is formed on one end of a lever having a handle Hi6 extending upwardly from between the side-plates 95; this detentlever being pivoted between-the side plates as at Hi8; 'lhe'above mentioned flexible cable 8t has its endextending into thecylinder 36 and received within an axially disposed bore lodforme'd in the end of the plunger 92; and is releasably secured therein as by set screws i ll).

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the support means 26 may be suitably mounted upon an'd'supportedby the steering column Hl'of a motor vehicle to properly position the foot member as against the pedal surface 2i) of the pedal lever B8 to" beoperated by the device. When'so positioned; by means of the flexible connecting means 233; the-operating means 22' may be placed to-s-uit. the convenience of the user. Wh'en so connected; the operator can then Inanipulate the desired pedalI8'-by rotating the-pinion 98 through the agency'of the hand lever H32, until the pedal l8 has been depressed to the desired eXtent; whereupon the'ratcnet or detent Hill will engage the rack 9d" and maintain the slide"- 92 and consequently the actuated means and the pedal l8- in' the desired adjusted positicn. Itiwill be noted thatthese pedals are'normally spring urged; in a' direction to cause the levers 53 to: tension; the; cable 2d, so that the detent I04 engaged in the rack 9d will" securely lock and retainlthepedal'in the desired adjusted position.

Uponi release of the detent by actuation of the finger grip portion. 596: thereof; the spring urged pedal; [8 will: rotate-the lever 58' in a counterclockwise direction thereby moving the. slide 92 towards the right as viewed'in Figure 6- to its idlecpositionz From the foregoing, it will be. apparent" that thereihasrbeen"provided aniappli'ance which effectively enables a single person to operate or actu-- ate fromaremote position the various foot-pedals of EJIIIOtOI" vehicle: in order to service the associated: elements:- of: the vehicle; and to lock or retain these pedals in the desired adjusted position.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device together with its many advantages will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the foregoing specification and accompanying drawings, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, but all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus disclosed and described the invention, what is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A remote control pedal operating device comprising a generally L-shaped bracket, the bracket being positionable with one leg vertical and the other leg horizontal, said horizontal leg having pivotally mounted thereon a lever arm, a pedal engageable foot pivotally mounted on said lever arm, a sectional plate secured to said lever arm and rotatably journaled on said horizontal leg, a flexible conduit extending from said mounting bracket and secured at its other end to a movable housing, a flexible cable entrained around said sectional plate and having one end secured to said lever arm, operating means carried by said housing secured to the other end of said flexible cable for moving same in order to pivot said lever arm and depress said pedal.

2. The operating device of claim 1 wherein said vertical leg has adjustably mounted thereon means for clamping the bracket to a steering column of a vehicle, said foot being adjustable with respect to said lever arm, whereby said pedal operating device may be adjusted to fit various types of vehicles.

3. The operating device of claim 1 wherein said operating means includes a rack secured to said other end of said flexible cable, a pinion carried by said housing in engagement with said rack, said pinion moving said rack longitudinally of said housing upon rotation of said pinion, a looking pawl carried by said housing engaging said rack for preventing movement thereof in one direction and retaining said pedal in a depressed position.

THOMAS P. BRAZELL.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,171,642 Ransom Feb. 15, 1916 1,608,992 Peavy Nov. 30, 1926 1,801,987 Strand Apr. 21, 1931 2,302,158 Van Vulpen Nov. 17, 1942 2,384,742 Hewitt Sept. 11, 1945 2,465,183 Allen Mar. 22, 1949 2,501,249 Wilsdorf Mar. 21, 1950 

